There's a big problem not just with crafting as a skill not just in this game but in almost any RPG that implements it.

On one hand, it makes ZERO SENSE that you, a person who started making weapons about two months ago, can make better equipment than Epic Legendary Arifacts of the Epic Legends.

But on the other hand, if someone has put 15-20 perks in Smithing and Enchanting they will be rightfully miffed if they find some equipment that renders all the effort they put into those skills irrelevant. It's for this reason I was apprehensive about Smithing being included in the game when I first heard about it (not that I haven't had some fun with it, but it's still annoying).


My idea to improve it is this: Artifacts will always be better than the generic armor and weapons that you can craft, but they obviously aren't as flexible since you can make armor and weapons of any kind. However, the best stuff in the game could be craftable but you would need more than just a stockpile of raw materials and a soul gem, the materials would be obtained through a quest.

As an example, you come across a book that tells you about the Gilded Armor of Aldren, one of the greatest heroes in Skyrim history (I just made this up obviously). Not only does the armor require steel ingots and gold ingots, it also requires the eyes of a spectral dragon, and the last known spectral dragon was rumored to be residing in the depths of some forbidden cavern.

Added poll

I would change a lot.

Each type of armor would have its own skill tree.
Legendary comes from top tier perk in each tree.
And I would toss at least 50 perks there.

I am thinking copying the repair mechanic from Fallout 3 for enchanting exactly. So you need to sacrifice an item each time.

Too much?

You mean smithing skill tree or wearing skill tree? I can't quite understand what you mean.

The problems with it I see are

Too many crafting ingredients including high level items are available from vendors. Most all should be found in game by playing the game not buying from vendors

Able to go to max level by crafting a cheap low level item like a dagger

Easily exploited to create god items and then god mode for the player

:D

I mean smithing. By trees, I mean branches. A branch for every type. You specialize in one type of armor and it costs many perks.

I guess that is one way, but another would be to make all artifacts be upgradable to legendary. Weapons like Wuuthrad would outclass most others if it could be upgraded.

just dont abuse it and let your character level naturally, recently started my 3rd character and set limits on what i can do ie:

1: can only smith items that i find through adventuring.
2: i do not enchant anything, my enchanting is only raised by using soul gems to recharge my weapons.
3: Only using weapons and armor that i find through adventuring.
4: Dont use any training, my speech is only increasing by selling what i find and buying potions.

But that said the enchanting and smithing are broken/made easy for newer players. i still think enchanting should cost you money say 1000 gold per point/percentage and using a smiths work area should cost you money say 500 gold to use grind stone to improve 2 weapons etc.

There's many things wrong with games like these if you look at it from this perspective. But then again sure you can get better if you practice. At least it's not a skill easily obtained.

Agreed, and it can be a but like that in an RPG, any RPG, that has you as a newbie rise fast and end up above people one would assume have been doing whatever their whole life.

I didn't invest in smithing or enchanting much with my first character (Paladin-esque) at all. It didn't really fit the concept I had for them or the route they went in the game. So it was armor they could find/buy/loot for them, and to be honest they have done terrifically none the less.



I like the sound of that, go on.



And that I really love the sound of.

I do not like the idea of being able to craft legendary gear. I still think legendary artifacts and daedra lord rewards should be the best.

Technically, being able to craft a legendary item involves the same thing as getting a daedra lord artifact; going on a quest which may involve killing enemies.

But from a lore point of view, the player shouldn't be able to create gear that dwarfs fabled artifacts that have survived eons.

You can also make it much easier. Just "hire" someone that can make the gear. That wouldn't change much in the concept and you can still craft anything you want without making the main character an uber smith.

Also, not being able to get over 100 Smithing/enchanting/alchemy, remove bonuses to those via the others.

That applies to every skill in the game. It makes no sense you become the best [insert skill] within a couple of in-game days. You can exploit every skill in a similar manner to smithing/enchanting, and the TES (from Morrowind onwards at least) have always let you. The problem with Smithing and Enchanting is they have absolutely massive effects (even without combining them with Alchemy), far more then most of the other skills.

I don't think they should make better stuff than artifacts. I think everyone should have access to the best enchants, smith improved armor, etc. via NPC crafters(at high price, game needs better things to spend gold on), and smithing and enchanting - along with alchemy - should then be split into non-combat skills essentially, along with speech, lockpicking, pickpocket. Improving your own gear should save you gold and making gear could make you more gold and so on. That's where the advantage should end, really, other than maybe small bonuses for masters of various non-combat skills - but nothing to make any of them clearly superior for combat.

Making crafted armor superior to found stuff, especially artifacts, was just a very bad idea. Smithing and Enchanting are nearly as important, if not more, as weapon and armor skills for melee characters, and it's kind of messed up. Currently you are unquestionably gimping yourself if you don't take them.